(April 16, 2014) – On April 23rd, Feed The Children will provide backpacks and supplies to help students experiencing homelessness throughout Billings. The backpacks will be distributed to public schools attending the State Title I Conference in Billings, Montana at the Holiday Inn Grand (5500 Midland Rd.). The backpacks will be distributed by the schools throughout the school year to Montana students experiencing homelessness.

The distribution includes 640 backpacks filled with a variety of items including school supplies, essentials (items such as toothpaste, deodorant and body wash) children’s books and snacks.

H.E.L.P., Homeless Education and Literacy Program, an outreach program of Feed The Children, has partnered with the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY).

Through a partnership with SchoolKidz, a proud business unit of Staples® Inc., Feed The Children plans to distribute 60,000 backpacks for the 2013-2014 school year.

“Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, and by putting backpacks and school supplies in the hands of impoverished students, we can nourish their minds so they can reach their potential in the classroom,” says Erin Engelke, spokesperson for Feed The Children. “NAEHCY continues to show its dedication to this mission to care for the physical, emotional and educational needs of Texas most vulnerable citizens.”

To learn more about our backpack program and breaking the cycle of poverty through Feed The Children’s focus to F.E.E.D. (Food, Education, Essentials and Disaster Relief), please visit www.FeedTheChildren.org/Education .

About Feed The Children

Founded in 1979, Feed The Children’s mission is to provide hope and resources for those without life’s essentials. A BBB Wise Giving Alliance accredited charity, Feed The Children is one of the largest charities based in the U.S., providing more than 350,000 children around the world with a hot, nourishing meal every day. Here in the U.S., nearly 10 million people receive assistance each year from food and supplies distributed through over 1,200 local partner agencies. For more information, visit www.feedthechildren.org